Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leaders have dismissed a warning that instructed media to stop referring to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as a National Super Alliance (NASA) leader.
Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna strongly refuted claims by the Amani National Congress (ANC) that Mr Odinga had left the Opposition coalition.
"ANC is being petty. A rose is a rose whatever name you call it. Raila is the Nasa leader and peoples president. Period," Sifuna stated.
Musalia Mudavadi's aide, Kibisu Kabatesi, had asked media to stop referring to the former PM as "NASA leader", "NASA principal" and "NASA co-principal".
[caption caption="File image of ODM party leader Raila Odinga with Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna"]
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"ODM must take the bold step to officially vacate its membership in NASA since by promoting the Jubilee agenda at the expense of NASA’s stated objective to constitute a democratic government and not dictatorship, it is in continued violation of the Political Parties Act," Kabatesi declared.
Mudavadi's aide further bashed the Opposition chief for acting alone in meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"The infamous handshake wasn’t a NASA initiative but a personal cessation of hostilities between two individuals.
"We at NASA interpret the handshake as a Jubilee ploy to split NASA and scuttle it's stated inclusive and structured National Dialogue Agenda with connivance with our former partner," he stated.
The statement issued by ODM on Sunday further accused the NASA affiliate of playing petty politics.
Sifuna reiterated that the March 9 handshake was important for the country to come together after a divisive 2017 election period.
[caption caption="File image of NASA leader Raila Odinga"]
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